Day 15 - Banff to Jasper, Alberta. 193 miles ridden today. Total from Indianapolis - 2,732 miles.

Ron and Fred go over last minute directions to the airport with the valet attendant.

Mike's addition to the tour pack of his bike.

Pam in front of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.

After a wonderfully relaxing week in Canada, the final minutes of our time together were ticking down.  The vacation is soon over.  Today the girls would head home. 

Pam and Bonnie drove the rented cars from Banff to Calgary's airport.  The drive would be an easy one.   With red rimmed, tearing eyes the ladies said goodbye to their husbands.  Hugs and be safe wishes were exchanged between everyone in the group.  And they were off.

The six adventurers finished loading their gear on the bikes.  Leaving the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel they headed north along the Icefields Parkway towards Jasper.

 

When looking at scenery like this Joe calmly states, "You can't make this stuff up."

Fred riding along.

Big Horn Sheep 

David

Ron

The temperature is dropping, Fred, Joe and David stop to add extra layers for warmth.

They continued on.

Bear country to be certain.  Enormous signs along the road warn you of inherent danger.

Joe

Black bear sighting.

That sow had a cub with her!

   

Stu checked the water level in that lake.  It must have been a little low.

 The six arrived at the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park.  The glacier at the Icefield is actually sitting astride the Continental Divide.  This is located in both Banff and Jasper National Parks.
Mike points out the sign.
A nasty, sleety drizzle began to fall on the fellas.

 

 The glacier was at its greatest size when discovered in 1844.
 According to the information posted at the site it has shrunk significantly since then.
By the time the guys reached the glacier the freezing drizzle had changed to snow flurries.

After the Icefields the group arrives in Jasper.

Day 14 - Touring Banff and surrounding areas

Fred and Pat on The Gondola at Lake Louise

Pam - the sign says it all!

Log jam at Lake Moraine

Fred and Joe at Lake Moraine

Joe - Lake Moraine

Lake Louise - still in the shadows of morning.  Permanent glaciers perch on top of the mountain.

Bonnie and Ron - Lake Louise

Lake Louise

The Fairmont at Lake Louise

Pat, Fred, Pam and Joe caught having lunch at The Sightseeing Lift & Gondola in Banff National Park.

Fred, David, Lori, Pam, Pat, Ron and Joe at the Lake Louise Gondola

That is a Grizzly Bear!  It was hanging out below the chair lift at the Lake Louise Gondola.

This bear is wearing a radio collar.

This place was dubbed as the Best Grizzly Bear viewing area in the Rockies.

Lake Louise from on top of the chair lift across the valley.

Jill, Stu, Mike and Pam.  The guys took a photography class today.  
Having great subject matter is important as well.  This is a great image.

Lori and David on the chair lift.

Day 13 - Calgary, Alberta, Canada to Banff, Alberta, Canada. 82 Miles Ridden Today, Total Miles From Indianapolis - 2,539.

This morning the group bid farewell to the city of Calgary.  The girls packed the luggage into the rental cars while the guys retrieved and put their gear onto the bikes.

The guys led the way out of the city.  The ladies followed in the vehicles.

The group made the 82 mile trip to Banff.  We had lunch at an Irish Pub, did a little browsing around town and headed on to the Fairmont Hotel.

Joe and Pam preparing to leave Calgary for Banff.

David and Lori 

Stu and Jill

Pam and Mike

The Olympic Village at Calgary

The ski jumps and bobsled tracks are here.

Joe

About half way between Calgary and Banff,  the group pulled off the highway onto a scenic overlook.

Pat, Pam, Jill, Bonnie, Lori and Pam

We arrived in Banff

Fred and Pat at St. James Gate, the authentic Irish Pub where we had lunch.

 Flowers everywhere look spectacular. 

Looking over the golf course and Bow river in the Bow Valley

The Fairmont Banff Springs